"Today God gives UOC believers the opportunity to become saints"
A Greek hegumen on when Ukrainians and Russians will be reconciled, why he considers Epifaniy a heretic, and how the persecution of UOC believers brings them closer to holiness.
Hegumen Dositheos is a revered elder in Greece and the abbot of the Agia Skepi Monastery of the Sidirokastro Metropolis of the Church of Greece. In an in-depth interview with the UOJ, he shared his views on:
- why he supports Metropolitan Onuphry and considers Epifaniy a heretic,
- how to attain and maintain unity with Christ amid today’s turmoil,
- why illness and suffering are the road to Paradise,
- how to choose a spiritual father,
- whether salvation is possible outside the Church,
- why the Pope of Rome is unhappy,
- and when Ukrainians and Russians will be reconciled.
We now have a great schism
– Gerondas, many people today say that prayer is the most important element of the spiritual life. But for many, it is not easy. How can a person learn to pray truly?
– The easiest and yet the most difficult thing for a person is prayer. It depends on the person. If someone loves God, prayer is very easy. If a person loves … worldly reasoning, then prayer is very difficult. So, the choice is theirs. If one loves Christ, their prayer will rise and ascend straight to heaven.
There is a very simple prayer which everyone can say, wherever they may be. And it consists of only five words: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Or even shorter: "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me." "Lord, have mercy."
This is a prayer that can be said everywhere and at all times. A person only needs the desire to do it. Just as breathing is natural to a person wherever he may be, so too is this prayer easy – and it is through this prayer that all our saints were sanctified. That is, this is how they prayed. Of course, a person is not saved by this prayer alone. First and foremost, one must be Orthodox.
And I am glad that you are with Metropolitan Onuphry, and not with Epifaniy, who is a heretic, a papist, a uniate – I don’t even know what else – but certainly not Orthodox. He has caused great harm to our Orthodox faith by dividing Orthodoxy. We now have a schism, a great schism. And woe to those who caused this schism. Woe to them. Yes. May God grant them repentance – both them and us – that we may repent and return to the true faith.
On preserving peace in the soul
– Modern people live in a world full of noise and anxiety. How can we preserve peace in our souls and not lose our connection with God?
– Yes. Nothing can hinder a person who wants to be with Christ. Nothing. And we see this in the example of the martyrs. Their skin was flayed, and they were tortured in attempts to separate them from God. But it didn’t work. Heaven is filled with martyrs.
It’s the same today; of course, these are lesser sufferings, but there is a way for the willing person. If a person wants to be with Christ, no one and nothing can stop him. Nothing and no one. Because Christ gave mankind so much strength through His Crucifixion and Resurrection that a person can now overcome the world, the devil, and sin.
So, it’s merely an excuse when someone says the world or circumstances are in the way. No one can hinder us if we truly want to be with Christ. And a person can be with Christ when he remains in Christ’s Church – the Orthodox Church – not in the papal church and not with that same Epifaniy. Not with him, no. One must be in Christ’s Church to have hope.
– There is much sorrow, war, and disease in the world today. Can we say that these are the consequences of humanity’s sinfulness? And what is the right way for us, Christians, to deal with this?
– Your question is very important, because
all these events happening to humanity show us that we are living in the last times. Therefore, we must be watchful and ready.
And how does one remain ready? When a person repents of their sins, when they go to confession, when they live a spiritual life, that is, go to church, receive Communion, fast, and follow the law of Christ, then they gain benefit from what is happening, not harm.
The Lord allows all this so that we may be vigilant. Otherwise, if He took away all trials and we experienced no hardship at all, no one would be saved. Trials are necessary for those who wish to be saved. Sadly, not everyone wants salvation. But this is a personal matter for each person, and God respects human freedom.
What the devil does not do with his tricks. You see, he does not respect human freedom, and neither do his tools – those who serve him. That is why they impose things upon us. Christ does not impose, even though He loves us more than we love ourselves. He does not force us; He shows us the path that is good for us, and then leaves us with complete freedom. That is our God – the true one. This is real love, not forcing someone to do something supposedly for their own good.
On spiritual life in the world
– You live in a monastery where the spiritual life is different. How can people with families and jobs find time for spiritual life?
– For one who desires it, it is possible to make a monastery out of their home, workplace, or personal space. Those who longed to be with Christ would go into a cave and, with just a crust of bread, were sanctified. A home – truly, every Christian home – should be a monastery. And there, a person can prepare themselves and be sanctified.
Because the goal of man is holiness, that is, to become like his Creator, Christ. Our primary example is Christ. Therefore, our life must be Christ-centred. Not man-centred, as unfortunately is the case for most people. They put man at the centre. But we must put Christ at the centre – the life of Christ.
– How can someone choose a spiritual father correctly so as not to fall into delusion?
– That’s a very serious question you ask. And these days, with each passing day, there are fewer and fewer good confessors, and more prayer and care are needed. How can we choose? First of all, we must pray that God enlightens us to find the right one.
We must also examine whether the person to whom I wish to entrust my immortal soul teaches the word of God rightly. Is he truly Orthodox? Does he keep Christ’s commandments? Does he follow the canons of the Ecumenical Councils?
And so, God will enlighten us, and our conscience will guide us to find the right spiritual father, because it is a very serious matter. It’s like wanting a guide to lead us through unfamiliar territory.
Therefore, you can understand how cautious we must be when entrusting our soul to ensure he leads us to Paradise. Because the aim of a spiritual father, in any case, is to unite us with God. And if he himself is not united with God, how can he unite us?
How can someone tell me they have a good spiritual father if they are with Epifaniy? It’s obvious that such a person is deluded.
So, let us continue with our prayer, with our boldness, and with our knowledge of the true faith because only the true faith saves. Not all faiths lead to salvation, just as not all roads lead to where we want to go. There is only one path that leads to Paradise.
Didn’t our Christ say, “I am the Way”? He didn’t say “one of many ways” – He used the definite article, meaning there are no other ways. So, only the true faith saves.
If someone tells us that others lead to salvation too, they are lying to us – with a capital “L”. And woe to them, and woe to us if we follow them, that is, if we listen to them. No. Christ said, “I am the Truth.” There is only one truth. There are not many truths. Every heresy carries within it its own poison. Yes, that is the reality.
– Some people say they can believe in God without going to church. Can a person be a Christian without participating in the Sacraments and the life of the Church?
– Such people deceive themselves and influence others, especially those who are lukewarm. Because if the Church were not necessary, Christ would not have founded it. The Church is a hospital, a place of healing, and we humans are sick, some more, some less.
So how can we be healed without the hospital, which is the Church? Those who speak in this way are lying and deceiving both themselves and those who listen to them. A person cannot be saved outside the Church.
It is the Church that saves, and the Church is Christ Himself, who abides forever, and the Head of the Church is Christ. There is no salvation apart from Christ. There is no such thing as a “personal salvation” apart from Him, as in: “I’m a good person and don’t need Christ.” That kind of salvation doesn’t exist.
Christ saves through the Church, because it is there that the medicines are found and the Sacraments are given. And the greatest of the Sacraments is the Holy Eucharist. That is His Body and His Blood. There, a person is united with Christ, which is the very aim of human life. To be united with Him already in this life, and, being united, to go eternally into Paradise, the Kingdom of Heaven. Eternally forever. That is why the Church is necessary. The Orthodox Church, of course. For Christ has only one Church, not many.
On defending the faith and shrines
– According to Orthodox Christian ethics, what should a believer do in a situation where it becomes necessary to defend churches, sacred things, and their community, without falling into a spirit of vengeance?
– A Christian has a duty. When the true faith is under threat, one must fight by any means to protect it. And, accordingly, to defend their homeland. These go hand in hand. One cannot say, “That doesn’t concern me – I’m a Christian, and Christians shouldn’t resist.” When the time comes, we must do what the first Christians did. They were tough, not like us, like melted butter. Because we are like melted butter, always looking for excuses.
Someone says, “I’m being obedient.” What kind of obedience is that? You see your Church, your faith, being destroyed, and you talk about obedience. Obedience to whom? Perhaps to the devil. Are we to sit idly by? We must fight with everything God has given us.
– What would you like to say to those who are seeking God but have not yet found their path to Him?
– A person who is truly seeking Christ will find Him in the Church of Christ. One cannot find Him in the mountains or valleys, nor in sin or worldly ways of thinking. One finds Him in the Church. One finds Him by living the Sacramental life of the Church. That is where a person discovers God. One finds Him through prayer. One finds Him by applying what the Church teaches.
Repentance for our falls, for our sins. Confession, attending church, fasting as prescribed by our Church, and above all, participation in the Body and Blood of Christ, in Holy Communion. That is where seekers will find Him. That is where we found Him.
Outside the Church, a person cannot find Christ and cannot find the truth – Christ is the Truth.
Why does God allow trials, especially cancer?
If God did not allow illness, especially cancer, Paradise would be empty. Truly, it would be. Paradise is full of cancer sufferers. Full to the brim. That is Christ’s love. He loves us more than we love ourselves.
And He allows trials, He allows these illnesses so that we might enter Paradise because the aim of human life is not to live here. We come here to die, and by dying, we live. The question is: with whom shall we live? And a person will live eternally if they choose Christ in this life, they will be with Christ.
So, trials are the medicine of salvation if we endure them. If there were no trials, neither would I be here for you to listen to, nor would you be here listening. We’d be busy with other things. Trials draw us closer to Christ.
It’s like with small children: when they run from their mother’s arms and head towards a cliff, and a stone along the path causes them to stumble, fall, feel pain, and run back to their mother saved thanks to that stone. In the same way, trials are the stones Christ places to save us.
On true repentance during Great Lent
– Great Lent is a time of repentance, but many people, even believers, don’t feel deep repentance within. How can one awaken true repentance in oneself?
– A person who knows why they live, who understands their purpose, who knows where they came from, why they came, and where they are going, will do all this sincerely, not just outwardly. Because fasting is a means of leading us to Paradise.
It is a tool first used by Christ Himself. And during Great Lent, we imitate Christ, who fasted for forty days, taking neither food nor water. This is what we imitate. Christ tells us, “Be imitators of Me.” He has shown us the path of salvation. That is why fasting is essential for those who want to reach Paradise.
And truly, it is not something invented by priests, as some say. No, fasting was born in Paradise itself. From Adam and Eve. That’s where fasting begins. That shows just how essential fasting is. And now, even science confirms that fasting heals both soul and body. Scientists say that if any sick person uses the fasting of Orthodox Christians, they will be healed without medication.
On attacks against the Church
– Today the Church faces many attacks, especially on social media and in the mass media. How should a believer respond to this, and how can they defend their faith?
– How do we handle this? By becoming greater Christians – true Christians. Our faith is not endangered by external attacks. The danger comes from within us.
If we become true Christians and confess our faith rightly, we will benefit both ourselves and others. But we must hold the true faith.
Man has a conscience, you know – within him – and that is the voice of God, which, when it hears the truth, recognises it. I have experienced this profoundly, both in Africa and in India, where the Mother of God sent me.
When people heard that the Orthodox were coming, if they had drums, they would come out in crowds, I don’t know how many, with cries and shouts. But when a Catholic, a papist came, there was nothing – no sound, no response. That is the human conscience, the voice that recognises the truth when it is pure.
On the Pope and the forerunner of the Antichrist
– What will happen to the Pope?
– The poor Pope. He is pitiful, truly pitiful when a man comes to the point of deifying himself. A miserable soul who dares to claim infallibility. Only God is infallible. To claim otherwise is sheer arrogance.
That is why he will be the forerunner of the Antichrist. From there begins the preparation – it is already underway. I don’t say this privately; I say it so that all may know. Listen. All that I say, even if they silence me, I must speak of my faith and my homeland. I shall speak to the end and beyond.
I have so many examples, thousands. They preserved us in the true faith. If they had remained silent because some high-ranking people told them, “Keep quiet,” we wouldn’t have Orthodoxy today. We would be papists. We would be under Epifaniy. Poor souls! They cannot be saved. In heresy, there is no salvation. Christ Himself said this through the mouth of the Apostle Paul: “A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject.” It's a first-hand verdict. That's what it says.
Who now dares to claim to be holier than the Apostle Paul or Christ Himself, to challenge this?
You see, when Adam and Eve sinned, all mankind went to hell. That original sin is inherited – that’s a separate matter. “The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children,” is it not said so?
We shall see more and more of such things as we draw closer to the end. We are in the eschatos – the last times. I don’t know how long this will last, but Christ is showing us the signs of the times so that we may be spiritually prepared. And when God permits, we shall be with Him.
That is what should concern us: to be with Him when He wills. Whether He takes us early or leaves us a little longer, our aim must be clear. Our desire and striving should be to be with Christ. And this union begins in this life, so that it may be eternal in the Kingdom of Heaven.
On the immortality of the soul
Forever, eternally, man does not die or vanish. He merely changes state: from the temporal to the eternal. Man does not disappear. God did not create a perfect being so that it would vanish after 50–60 years. No, He created it in His image, to be eternally with Him.
God created man in His image and likeness that he might become like God. That man might become God by grace. From nothing, to become as God and live forever, like God.
Man does not die. What we call “death” is nothing more than a temporary separation from the physical body, a transition to another state. That’s why Christians don’t say “cemetery”, but “sleeping place”. Because when one sleeps, it is a little death. And death is a great sleep.
You see, when we sleep, we are unaware, as though we were dead. But we awake. Nature shows us this, God shows us. How? Just look at the trees recently – seemingly dry and barren. And suddenly, look! They begin to bud, bloom, and soon will bear fruit. They show us the resurrection of the dead.
What does this life give you? Ninety-nine sorrows and one fleeting laugh. Life wouldn’t be worth it if everything ended here. But it is worth it, because eternal life exists. So, this life is preparation for that life.
The person who prepares in this life already tastes a small part of Paradise. Even now, if one lives with Christ and keeps His commandments, one tastes Paradise here, a little part of it.
If Paradise is an ocean, then we taste a single drop. And even for that drop, you see, rich, educated people abandoned everything and went to live in caves. Because they had tasted a little and knew that there is much more.
Just like a student at school: though the exams are hard, when they receive their diploma, they rejoice. That’s what Paradise is. This preparation that God allows, this temporal life – and once we receive the diploma of our salvation, there is celebration.
And the celebration starts even now because the diligent student, even in the exam session, has joy within, because of the hope of success.
On the meaning of faith
So, we must pass on the truth of our faith. And when there is truth, do you know how similar lies and truth are? Falsehood is like darkness; truth is like light. When there is light in a room, the darkness vanishes. It has no substance. So, let us become light, and the twilight will disappear.
You see, when there is good intention and we act as humans should, God uses it to help those who seek Him. Many listen to talks, but how many benefit? That’s each person’s matter. But we have a duty, a responsibility to speak the truth. And the truth is what the Church teaches. And the Church is Christ, its Head. The truth is the Ecumenical Council.
It is what the Saints teach – those of today and those of the past. That is what we must pass on. When there is good intention, truth is like a lit candle. And when that candle is lit in darkness, it immediately gives light. That is truth. All we need is to stand with the truth.
Faith should be our greatest concern because if we lose faith, we lose everything. It would be better never to have been born. Better never to have been born. Yes, losing everything else is temporary. But losing faith is eternal.
A message to Orthodox Christians
Pass on our love and support to our brothers – the Ukrainians, the Russians, to all Orthodox Christians. Everywhere in the world where there are Orthodox, send our message: our love, our support, and our prayers.
Because life has no meaning without Christ. Without Christ, man has no purpose. He/she is emptiness. Nothing. Like an animal that eats, drinks, sleeps – there is no difference between a human and an animal without Christ.
– Ukrainians and Russians – when will these two nations be reconciled?
– Soon. We shall pray that the Lord will enlighten them. They are brothers. Let them stop, love one another. And that will happen if they accept the true Christ into their lives. Not a false Christ, because some are trying to promote a false Christ, the one in whom even the Pope believes. That is not the real Christ.
Send our greetings, our love, and our prayers, because we are praying because of this horror – what is happening to our brothers who are killing each other. Unfortunately, we too have played a part in it. It’s more of a religious war there – the rest is secondary.
The issue is faith. The devil and his hordes have meddled and turned everything upside down, but now we must cast him out so that Christ may enter so that peace may come to people’s hearts, so that they may love one another.
Because a greater battle awaits us. This struggle is preparation for Paradise, for eternal life. That’s it. A person must discover why they live. Once they know the purpose, everything changes. But if they don’t know and think they came here just to eat, drink, and have fun, they are miserable, and so is everyone around them.
Let us pray that the Lord will send workers into His vineyard. Let Him send us God-fearing leaders for the ones we have do not fear God, so we may begin anew, with the Kingdom of Heaven as our only goal. That is why man was created. That is why the Lord gives him time in this life to prepare for the eternal Kingdom. There is no other goal. Everything else is a means: work, professions, even marriage or monastic life – all these are means. The goal is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Who is to blame in the family: husband or wife?
What surprises me most in married couples: if you listen to the woman, it’s always the husband’s fault. If you listen to the husband, it’s only the wife’s fault. But more often it’s women – poor souls – they’re never at fault. Never! Rarely does a woman say she is to blame for the breakup. Rarely. But if she looked inward, she would see how much she contributed to the misfortune. Because it is a misfortune when a married couple separates. It’s a suicide. To break the sacrament of marriage that unites two into one and to destroy it?
We break the law, God’s law. That means we don’t love God. We may speak of love – we’re good at appearances – we justify our mistakes and weaknesses. God grant we become true humans and then… So, pray there in your homeland. Say, “Lord, have mercy,” even for me, that the Lord may have mercy on me.
***
– How can I thank you for your efforts to travel from Ukraine to see someone as unworthy as me?
Thank you so much. You have my gratitude and my love. Send my prayers and love to all Orthodox Christians. And know that the Lord will never abandon them. He will renew them and make them stronger. They now have a wonderful opportunity to become saints—and that is man’s purpose: holiness. Be blessed and joyful. Glory be to God.
